Spectacular Youth Sunday
Today was Youth Sunday at Union Church and it was extraordinary. The title of the service was, "Where You Lead, I Will Follow." Sebastian, who is asking more and more about what it means to be baptised, decided to skip Sunday school to sit in the sanctuary with Tess and I for the entire service. Next year Seb will be old enough to enter Union Church's Youth Group so today gave him a taste of what's ahead: seriously fun, and extremely moving, times. Despite the message title being, "I Will Follow," I am convinced the service was so powerful that people walked away thinking much bigger thoughts to themselves. Read on to find out why and how.
I watched the crowd closely today to gauge their reaction to each point of the service. I doubt a single person made it through the service without shedding a tear. For starters, the Youth Group performed all the music for the entire service, including Jesus Culture's "One Thing Remains". They did a great job, staying in complete control, never letting the congregation get ahead of them.
During the earlier parts of this year, several members of the Youth Group ran a Youth Alpha Course, essentially a modern, introductory course to Christianity. They did this on their own initiative, organising the entire eight weeks with guests speakers et all. Today one of the partcipants shared his experience of being in the course and one of the leaders shared their experience of leading the course.
These testimonies were followed with a sermon delivered by three Youth Group members, most of whom are on their way to university next year. They handled the sermon with tremendous finesse and humour. Their message was based on scripture in Exodus 13:20-22 and 14:19-20. Each shared about their trials and tribulations as young Christians in ways we were each able to relate to and had a good laugh, too. "What is your Red Sea?" we were asked. When we find ourselves between a rock and a hard place:
- God knows that you are there.
- He has equipped you, prepared you.
- He desires for you to remember that I am God. There is none like unto Me.
- He has the situation under control. The situation is not more than you can bear – there is a way of escape. He will not let it destroy you.
- He says, "You have My spirit inside of you." You will come out as more than a conqueror.
- Start singing. This shows your faith in the Lord… and sang the Youth Group sure did today!
Next came Confirmation for seven individuals who had been mentored through a confirmation course the last few months. Again, each shared a short testimony about their experience during the Confirmation course and walking with Jesus. (At left: Kyle Koster stands with his guitar while he and the rest of the group watch the Youth baptisms.)
Finally, a handful of Youth were baptised. One during the service by sprinkling and three others by immersion immediately following. Overall the service was very moving and Sebastian told me afterwards his favourite part was the baptisms. Seb did well to sit through the entire service, listening, getting only slightly wrestless. I allowed him to doodle on a piece of paper to keep himself occupied. At one point I looked down. He was holding the service bulletin that read, "Where You Lead, I Will Follow" but had changed the I to We.
